Paradise Lost
by Shoujixyo-chan
Summary: Only the brave of heart struggled to remain sane in Hueco Mundo, the world of Hollows, despair and reigning King Aizen Sousuke. Join Sakura in her descent into a world bereft of light, where she struggles to find a Paradise Lost.
1. Ascending Into Darkness

_**Paradise Lost**_

_By Shoujixyo-chan_

_Rating: T_

_Date Published/Updated/Started: February 25th 2010/ 12th November / EDIT: 16TH November_

_Pairings: Sakura X Ulquiorra_

_Synopsis: Only the brave of heart struggled to remain sane in Hueco Mundo, the world of Hollows, despair and reigning King Aizen Sousuke. Join Sakura in her descent into a world bereft of light, where she struggles to find a Paradise Lost._

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What was this? This painful, crushing, _suffocating_ feeling that felt like she was being the submerged in acid, hit by a Chidori (not that she _had_ ever been hit by a Chidori but the way Naruto described it sounded painful) and stabbed by a katana in several places.

She couldn't breathe, she couldn't _think_ properly, al she wanted was this suffocating feeling to be lifted; she wanted release from the chains that bound her to the ground where she stood.

And as if her wish had been answered, the pain lessened, if only slightly, and she was allowed to think. To ponder her death; she stared at her mangled corpse, transfixed.

Was this the end? Was this what it came to? Couldn't she be freed in death and allowed to go to heaven or some shit that that? She looked at the corpses face, _her face, _and wondered '_That's it. I've died. I'm dead, I've kicked the bucket. So what now? Won't someone come to take me to the afterlife? Stab the butt of their sword on my forehead (and what a large forehead mine is_)_ and tell me "Bye-Bye"?'_

She snorted at the absurdity of it. But then again, she had pink hair and green eyes, so who was she to go around anything 'absurd'?

Wasn't someone going to come over and find out what was taking her so long?

And then see her hovering over her dead body and scream? Was she a ghost or something? _(And then she reminded herself that yes, she was a ghost. What other logical explanation was there?)_

And then the pain came back; it was even more intense, more painful. She tried to remind herself not to scream, nobody would her anguished cries anyway. Why was it that she had to suffer?

She had seen _them_, the people with broken chains coming out of their chests; she tried not to think about those ghostly people, _(I've been hallucinating, I've been training too hard, working too long at the hospital)_ but when she saw their names on television and saw their smiling faces on the screen, she lost it.

She cried, screamed to the twinkling stars and dark night sky asking them why?

Why her to be cursed with the suffering of the hollowed dead.

_But now she was one of them._

She was now one of those broken-hearted, forlorn, melancholic faces that peered ghostily at her, meeting their eyes with hers and nodding their heads, as if to acknowledge her and her 'curse'.

Sometimes the ghosts disappeared; and all that was left was a pool of blood and a feel of deep agony and fear.

She knew there was another type of_ them_. Ghosts whose souls had descended into darkness. She had heard their anguished cries at night, (_cries_ _that were so much like her own); _when everyone in Konoha was supposed to be sleeping, felt their pain and suffering. It was those nights when she slept the worst.

Could anyone hear her? Save her from this pain, this feeling of crushing agony and fear.

It was no use. There was only her and her pain.

'_**Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Look!' **__Naruto…_

'_**Well done Sakura, you passed.' **__Tsunade-shisou…_

'_**Sakura…you've grown.'**__ Kaka-sensei…_

'_**Forehead!' **__Ino…_

_I wish, I wish I could stay with you forever. Laugh everyday with Ino-pig and Naruto. Yell at Kaka-sensei for reading his pervy books and see that smile, one last time on Sasuke's face. _

She smiled sadly, a tear sliding down her face, and breathed in one last time.

_Good-bye… Konoha…_

All the anguish, anger, pain and negative feelings came to surface and she gasped. The pain, it was more intense than ever… The last of the chain links from the chain protruding from her chest disappeared and she screamed. A scream full of all the negative emotions in the world; that scream soon turned to an inhuman howl.

A whitish substance formed over her face and she chocked, not able to see, hear or feel. Only the pain, the pain, the pain….

She let out one last, ear-splitting, heart-wrenching scream, _(all of Konoha heard, the ominous feeling resonating deep in their hearts), _and she knew no more. Only the hunger; the pain and suffering inside her.

_Escape, escape._ A voice told her and she did exactly that. Creating a dark, fathomless rip in the fabric of the sky she escaped through a passageway, which led to sand leeched of colour by the luminous moon, and an endless, endless night.

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_**Is she the one?**_

_**Yes, yes. She'll do nicely.**_

_**That spiritual pressure… that reiatsu.. DELICIOUS! I'LL MAKE HER MINE!**_

_**FEED!**_

_**It seems that our little experiment worked.**_

_**Aizen-sama…**_

_**Yes Ulquiorra?**_

_**Should I…?**_

_**Yes. Go fetch the girl.**_

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She collapsed onto the sand, face-first.

She ended up coughing up a lot of sand and dust.

But she didn't care about _where_ she was; only hoped that she was safe, safe from ghastly white-masked monsters that used to haunt her nightmares back in Konoha when she was a little girl.

'_Safe…'_ she thought _'no, I'll never be safe again. Safe is the feeling of the old Team 7, safe is the feeling of okaa-san and otou-san. Okaa-san…' _

And she wanted to cry, to howl out her pain to this unfamiliar world and retreat to her inner world…

'_**Get up!'**_

'_Huh?'_

'_**I said GET UP! Look at you, you worthless piece of flesh, crying in the desert sand of Hueco Mundo! Get up and face your monsters! Get the fuck up!'**_

'_Inner Sakura? Hueco Mundo? Is this the world that we're in?'_

'_**I said GET UP! Act first, questions later!'**_

Sakura sighed and struggles. She couldn't…the pressure was too strong… then all of a sudden she felt an familiar warmth in her limbs, it was unlike anything she had felt before, more potent and filling than chakra. _'What is this…feeling? It's so, so __**warm**__.__'_

'_**It's reiatsu, you idiot. Your spiritual energy; judging by how much you have right now the nasties should come crawling here any moment…'**_

True to Inner Sakura's words, one of those masked creatures came crawling out the sand in front of her. It was distorted, mockery of a human being, and over 8 feet tall. It's cruel, crimson eyes glinted with malicious amusement.

Its face twisted into a sickening smile, more of an evil smirk than an embodiment of happiness. "**Hello… little girl. You seem so... tasty. Do you mind if I eat you?"**

'_**Of course I mind you bastard!'**_

But Sakura was frozen in fear. Inner Sakura went on and on about smashing the teme's head but she lay there paralysed. Was it the suffocating, crushing presence that the hollow seemed to exude? Or was it the killer intent in the beast's eyes?

'_**Stand up! Fight it! Crush his head and wipe that smirk off his face! Chaaa!'**_

She struggles to stand, but in the end her will and the unfamiliar warmth inside of her gave her the strength to stand up and face the masked predator.

"I will NOT be eaten!" she shouted, and threw a punch that was unconsciously charged with reiatsu at the hollow's face.

CRACK!

It's mask broke and it screamed, stumbling back and landing on its hindlegs. **"You...you BITCH!"** The beast roared and starting pumping its reiatsu into one, deadly blast that it was sure would end the little pink-haired hollow. **"CERO!"**

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_So... thought you'd never hear from me, eh? This one goes to you black firelight, for inspiring me (even though you don't know it!) and ALL the Naruto-Bleach crossover writers, for providing me with an endless source of inspiration. _

_Loves, and be sure to review!_

_~Shoujixyo-chan_

_EDIT: I'm BAAAACK! Oh yeahz. There might not be many changes in this chapter but I assure you, the entire plotline of what I had planned out previously has changed to suit canon. Oh yes. You heard right. New title! TADAAA!_

_I think the way this story is planned out allows for a lot of canon to be structured around it. It may eventually be AU but... for now, I'll struggle to keep up with canon!_

_P.S__-__ I've noticed that very story I plan out turns out to be the exact opposite. If it's planned out dark, it turns funny. If it's originally humorous__,__ then it turns dark. _

_P.P.S- I also seem to like dark characters, like Tom Riddle from Harry Potter and Ulquiorra. I hope I portray him well enough for you guys!_


	2. Meeting Of Two Souls

_**Paradise Lost**_

_By Shoujixyo-chan_

_Rating: _T

_Date Published/Updated/Started: _EDIT: 14th November 2010 / EDIT: 16th November

_Pairings: _Sakura X Ulquiorra

_Synopsis:__Only the brave of heart struggled to remain sane in Hueco Mundo, the world of Hollows, despair and reigning King Aizen Sousuke. Join Sakura in her descent into a world bereft of light, where she struggles to find a Paradise Lost._

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'_**Paradise was unendurable, otherwise the first man would have adapted to it; this world is no less so, since here we regret paradise or anticipate another one. What to do? Where to go? Do nothing and go nowhere, easy enough.'**_

_**-E. M. Cioran **_

_**~The Trouble with Being Born**_

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"**CERO!"**

'_**Move, move, move, MOVE!"**_

'_I..I can't. I'm paralysed by fear… Will I die …again?'_

And in that split-second of facing death… something broke with-in her. Like a dam being broken, the energy flowed out and encompassed her, shielding her from the blast; she saw the silhouette of her best friend in front of her, smiling.

'_Naruto…'_

'_Move Sakura-chan!' _He called out _'You'll get hurt by that teme over there if you don't! Come-on!' _

He held a hand out to her and she grasped it, revelling in its familiar warmth and solidity; wait… _solidity?_ How could he be real? After all, she had seen him…

_She had seen him __**die.**__ Was that even possible? She had never told him…that she had loved him._

She had always seen Naruto as a pillar of strength, someone who would always be there. He was here, in front of her protecting her even in the afterlife; but this wasn't heaven, how could he be here?

This hell hole filled with monsters was _no heaven._ It was a place for those who hadn't been given another chance; those who were condemned. _Heaven?_ Heaven was for those who had fought for good and died for the better. Hers was a shameful death. Hers was a Paradise lost.

'_Sakura-chan…' _She heard him called her name, and she knew he had heard her thoughts. _'I'm sorry...'_

_What? He was leaving? _He had come to her aid only to leave again. She knew she was being selfish; she had to let go of the past. Accept it and move on.

'_Naruto… let's go.'_

He pulled her up and smiled. _'Good for you Sakura-chan! But my time here… is ending. Keep in touch okay?'_ He leaned forward in order to give a small kiss on her cheek (_mask?)_ and stood tall and strong. _'Ja matte ne!'_

And like his namesake, he disappeared in a vortex of wind _'Naruto…'_ She stood there watching his fading visage for a few seconds until the hollow, who had gone into shock until then struck.

'_**Dodge!'**_

Hearing her Inner's voice Sakura complied and evaded his attack; she retaliated with a punch of her own, sending him skidding back.

"EAT THIS!" She cried out and punched it full–on. Its mask, which had remained intact until then, shattered into a thousand pieces. The hollow roared for the last time and fell, disintegrating like ash.

Sakura panted and looked at the place where the hollow had disappeared, she looked at her hands and then back at the place where the hollow had fallen. _'Did I do this?'_

She was knocked out of her thoughts by a dozen shrill cries, originating from the enraged hollows that gained on her from a distance_. 'More of them? Kami, when does it end?_

_But I'll run no longer. I'll fight to the end! And this time, this time I can die an honourable death. _

What waited for her at the boundaries of endless white?

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Ulquiorra Schiffer was not an easily impressed hollow.

So when he saw something that made his eyes widen _(in a rare show of emotion)_, and narrow back into his usual cat-like emerald slits was impressive. Most impressive indeed.

He watched the pink-haired hollow rightfully named 'Sakura' by Aizen-sama, gracefully thread in between the small army of hollows and deliver punch after punch, each completely shattering the hollows masks and sending them into a world of oblivion.

_After all, what waited for a hollow beyond the veil?_

'_Interesting. Even she is a hollow only hours old she can already deal reiatsu charged punched that can kill a hollow with one hit. It seems as though she is doing this unconsciously, without any thought. _

_Maybe it's a force of habit? That would indicate training from her former life… intriguing. Most hollows don't remember their former lives. She's moving like someone's warning her of incoming attacks. _

_Impossible. A hollow only a few hours contacting its Zanpakuto spirit? She is not even a Vasto Lorde… She could be even more powerful than Yammy in his Resureccion if she were to be turned into an Arrancar. Interesting…_

_Aizen-sama has to see this. But first, I must fetch the woman.'_

And then he strolled casually over to where to Sakura was fighting against the horde of hollows. Even though he looked calm on the outside _(his ever-present impassive exterior)_ on the inside, he was a maelstrom of confused thoughts and emotions.

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'_**Fuck, shit, crap, hell-'**_ Inner Sakura's angry rants and long line of obscenities were cut short by a rather vicious right hook from a toad-faced hollow _('waaah…too close!')_ that managed to graze her left cheek.

'_Avoid, analyse, and retaliate.' _Sakura thought fiercely and punched the hollow to her left-_the one that had almost hurt her, damn it that hurt heck- _and took out another one that was trying to get her from the back.

'_**Tch, what the hell are these things? They look like creatures from Yami itself! Maybe that's what this is...hell.'**_

"**ROAWWWWR!"**

'_Oh shit here comes the big one!'_ It looked like all of the hollows had merged together to form one, big, twelve foot high son-of-a-bitch that was covered in a big black (and tattered) cloak.

Sakura observed that it had a quite long nose. And fangs. Not to mention weird, glowy red eyes. What the fuck was wrong with this world?

'_Merge together and try to attack me, will you? Well I'll show you violent! Cowardly bastards couldn't even take me on alone so they just _had _to merge!'_

'_**A Menos Grande!' **_Inner Sakura cowered in her head.

'_Hell, we can take it on!'_ The monstrosity started gathering up its reiatsu for one single blast.

"**CERO!"**

'_**Shit! This blast is like ten times more powerful than the one that came from the first hollow we fought!'**_

_Run, hide, strategize, and try to find a way to escape._

All on her mind was devoted to avoiding the so called 'Cero' but her body could find it in itself to move. Her body knew instinctively that even if she tried to move she would be incinerated.

Her shinobi skills would come in pretty handy right about now! _'Come on, come on, COME ON!" _Sakura managed to break of the Menos Grandes oppressive reiatsu and tried to form one of those big-shooty chakra-like attacks of her own.

'_**Focus, breathe. Gather your energy, like preparing chakra for a jutsu; condense that energy onto the tip of your index finger. To help, just visualise one of Naruto's Rasengans... but finger sized.'**_

Sakura did as her Inner said, and found to her pleasure that it was working! The fact that the ugly monster (_**'Menos Grande.' **_Her Inner corrected)was roaring its displeasure at her escape and attempting to gather another one of those 'Ceros' but failing dismally, also helped in furthering her determination.

Now, the hard bit (seeing as gathering reiatsu for a Cero was easy enough for her), should she throw it or shoot it? Ha! Of course! It would be easier to shoot it! With a thrilled shout of "CERO!" a bright cerulean light shot out of her index finger and the Menos Grande was blasted into nothingness.

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Ulquiorra watched the woman blast the Menos Grande with a Cero of her own. Her growth rate was astounding; from trading reiatsu-charged punches with hollows to blasting Ceros and breaking free of the Menos Grandes class reiatsu, the woman was sure to be a formidable Arrancar.

The mastery of her reiatsu was incredible. She was able to conjure up a Cero only moments after viewing one viewing one being made. Of course, it wasn't to say that she might have been receiving some _Inner guidance_.

Yet she was still only a Gillian class hollow. That fact was evident, proven y her still semi0human shape of which Ulquiorra himself could discern.

Not many Gillian class hollows resembled a human in any way, shape or form. Only when they evolved into Adjuchas did their appearance begin to resemble their inner selves.

But this Haruno Sakura was not just any hollow.

He walked forward to meet her exhausted form, half sprawled out and head resting on the warm sand. She was panting heavily, reiatsu gathering and pulling punches having drained her somewhat.

"Greetings." Ulquiorra's words were spoken simply, and in a soft tone. It wouldn't do to inflame her temper once more and be viewed as a threat. He needed to earn her trust.

The strange-human-like trying to communicate with her was creature was oddly familiar, Sakura mused.

The impassive look on his face, that pale skin, that emotionless voice, but what really caught her eyes was the fathomless depths of those emerald green eyes- eyes a lot like hers. With a mounting sense of surrealism, she compared her eyes to his.

Their color matched perfectly, but hers were full of spark, and vitality, something that his lacked, as she could see by the dull emerald shine they possessed. They didn't sparkle like hers did.

"My name is Ulquiorra Schiffer. I would like you to come with me to Las Noches, a place where you will safe from this trashthat attacked you earlier. There, you will find answers.

But I am not asking you to come with me; it is an order from my master. Your mysterious power intrigues him and he wants to find out more about you, so he sent me to observe you. Now come woman, my time is short."

"Listen up you uppity bastard! My name is Haruno Sakura! Not _woman_!"

'_Wait…Ulquiorra Schiffer? Las Noches? Master? Orders? Uwaaa...'_

And with that, Haruno Sakura, former bad-ass kunoichi of Konohagakure, member of Team Kakashi and apprentice of Tsunade of the Legendary Sannin and the Godaime, fainted from reiatsu exhaustion, shock and a whole lot of stress.

'_Aizen-sama will not be pleased. I believe he wanted to be one of the first to speak to this… Haruno Sakura.'_

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"_**Fate spoke cruelly of her, and cackled up in its domain. Haruno Sakura's future was going to be a long and perilous road, not only for her but also for Ulquiorra Schiffer. **_

_**Their paths were intertwined; none could survive without the other.**_

_**It was decided, and with a grim smile fate cut the strings that bound them together. **_

_**The stage was set, their lines were written. Now all it took was for it all to play out. **_

_**Unless blasted Time interfered again. **_

_**But Time waited for no-one...**_

_**No-one but itself." **_

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_Hello my lovelies! I've had some difficulty posting because of laptop and internet problems. _

_Forgive me? _

_As promised, a revised and re-edited chapter and a new summary and title! TADAAA! I hope you like it, as I felt that the other title was too long and clichéd, so I felt like a change!_

_A re-post, a new title and summary in one day! _

_Oh my!_

_Have fun, it took me aaages to complete this! (Well, not really. Just one day.)_

_~Shoujixyo-chan_


	3. The Lion's Den

**Ulquiorra's interest in Sakura deepens; Aizen closes in on our cherry blossom!**

**I'll let some of Aizen's dark side show itself… Truly, Sakura's presence brings out the worst in him. She'll be creeped out alright!**

**Even though Sakura denies she's attracted to that finesse and cunning hunk of man meat…**

**Recently, I've started to think, what does Mayuri's real face and body look like underneath those robes and make-up?**

**I googled it and…**

**Wow…**

**Just wow…. He is HOT! Looks a bit like Urahara-kun…**

**If you feel enlightened/bored, Google 'Mayuri's real face'**

**Trust me… it's worth it.**

**Sorry for the wait…**

**Thank you Blackfirelight!**

**I might write a 'Sakura's 16th B'Day Special!' Side story later…**

**Now, THANK YOU to all who reviewed and/or added me to their favorites, alerts, etc. My heart goes out to you…**

**We shall she Sakura's response to the every cunning, hand-some, god-in-the-making Aizen-sama!**

**As promised… chapter Three! 'The Lion's Den'**

_Making Our Own Heaven_

_By Shoujixyo-chan_

_Rating:__ T_

_Date Published/Updated/Started:__ 17th March, 2010. 22nd March, 2010._

_Pairings:__ Sakura X Ulquiorra_

_Synopsis:__ And deep inside her, a voice told her that this hell hole was no Heaven. She had been given no other choice. So Sakura chose to escape. SakuraXUlquiorra_.

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'_**As memory may be a paradise from which we cannot be driven,  
it may also be a hell from which we cannot escape.'**_

_**-John Lancaster Spalding**_

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'_Ugh._'

Haruno Sakura woke-up with a start. _'Oww… stupid alcohol. It's just like the time I went out with Team Kakashi to celebrate my 16th birthday…damn hang overs!'_

'_**We're not in Konoha anymore Sakura-chan!'**_

'_Gah! Inner! Don't scare me like! You know how I get so-'_

And finally, she noticed her surroundings; a white ceiling, white walls, white bed and white bed-sheets. It was just like being in a hospital except... where were the doctors and nurses? Naruto would usually be knocking loudly on her door to get in or already in her room, smiling that hand-some, bright smile that managed to calm her…

The last 72 hours flashed passed by her in blur, and she was barely able to catch small tid-bits of information. She tried, vainly, to remember where she was, how she got here, and when…

'_Ulquiorra, he said that his name was Ulquiorra._' She recalled something about Las Noches; was that where she was right now? All this white… Kami, it was like being in a hospital!

'_Who's… whose room?'_ She surreptitiously took a sniff at the bed sheets clutched in her hands, and a masculine, minty smell invigorated her. _'Wow, it seems as though whoever this room belongs to smells pretty nice…' _she thought dazedly and inhaled more of the heavenly scent.

"I would prefer it if you didn't inhale poor Ulquiorra's bed-sheets, my dear. He does like to keep his bed-sheets smelling nice and minty, as you can clearly smell right now." A deep, masculine voice spoke from the other side of the room.

Ducking her head sheepishly, she tried to rein in the blush spreading across her face. _'He did smell quite nice… when he was holding me. He is pretty handsome now that you mention it…'_

'_**More like a freaking hot machine! Did you see those emerald green eyes and that dark, messy hair? And his voice is so sexy…'**_

Sakura started blushing even more at Inners comment on Ulquiorra, until a deep _ahem_ startled her out of her thoughts.

"Hello my dear. Welcome to Las Noches, my kingdom. And I am its King... Aizen Sosuke. I believe you are Haruno Sakura, yes?"

Sakura took a good look at the man in front of her…he was handsome, to say the least. He was tall, with brown hair and brown eyes tinted with crimson. He had nearly all of his hair slicked back (_was it natural like Kakashi sensei's and Naruto's or does he use hair gel?) _except for a single strand, which hung over his face.

Sakura was sure that all of the females in Las Noches- if there were any in this place- must be dying to be in her position. He carried himself with an aura of power and his mere presence screamed authority; his soft footsteps resonated in the almost empty white room.

Aizen's brown eyes glinted with a sliver of curiosity and amusement; but there was something else too, something which screamed _'dangerous!'_ His eyes held an undercurrent of hostility and greed.

Aizen was dressed in a black Shihakusho with a form fitting white coat over it. He was smirking contently, an action which matched the hidden hostility in his eyes. She was a kunoichi; she had to know how to read people like a book. _'Thank-you Ino-pig, for giving me an overview on psychology!'_

'_Inner? Are you there? I need to talk to you!'_

Her Inner didn't respond. This was bad. Aizen was still smiling. _'Kill me now.'_

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Ulquiorra Schiffer was deep in thought.

Why, you ask, is it so strange for Ulquiorra to be in deep thought? Isn't he so angsty and broody 99.9% of the time that he only bothers to follow _Aizen-sama's_ orders or call hollows and/or nearly all humans?

The words 'trash', 'insect' and 'insignificant' were thrown around a lot in the world of Hueco Mundo and hollows. This was because most Arrancars had either severe superiority issues (on the other side of Las Noches Baraggan Luisenbarn sneezed) or they just liked to _think_ they were strong, whereas in most fights they would be K.O'Ed in under one minute.

Anyways, Ulquiorra Schiffer was brood-er… in deep thought. His thoughts were on a certain pink-haired hollow. No! Not anything _romantic_ but rather thoughts like _'she seems to be quite a formidable opponent' _and _'I wonder what Aizen-sama wants with her, perhaps he is going to recruit her as an Arrancar?'_

He was informed strictly by Aizen-sama (even though Aizen still held that ever-present smirk) that he, under no condition, were to tell any of the other Arrancar about Sakura, and the powers she held within; they might eat her.

It was not to say that he was _very_ interested with how 'Sakura' would adapt to hollow life. He hypothesized that she would probably be one of the Numeros, as being an Espada was out of her reach; it was not that she wasn't powerful enough, there weren't any positions open.

The idea of a Cero Espada amused him. Surely, such a thing was not possible; it was true that the woman had far more potential than any of the other Arrancar _(perhaps she would awaken Resurrección Segunda Etapa)_; though he was the only one he knew that could awaken Resurrección Segunda Etapa.

He could've have been the Primera Espada but he chose not to; it would bring to much attention to himself, which meant more hollows fighting for his position. He was content as being the Cuatro Espada.

'_Cero Espada…'_ It sounded like an impossible dream to him.

Which was exactly why he was shocked yet pleased when he found out Sakura's ranking…

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He had her cornered.

She was awake, that was one thing for sure, she grasped her head as if waking up with a hangover; she was such a tiny thing, her head covered with smooth pink locks slightly mussed from her fitful sleep. Half of a hollow's mask covered her face; it revealed startlingly green eyes _(they looked like Ulquiorra's)_, pale skin and soft, and plump pink lips.

Aizen felt an urge to run his fingers over her lips, to feel their softness… he restrained himself. He was a god after all; temptation was something he would only be able to indulge in once his goals were complete.

He watched her blink wearily, trying to remember where she was, and what she was doing there; a flash of recognition showed itself in her eyes. And then she did the unexpected.

She took a sniff at the bed-sheets, almost inhaling its scent! Truly, she was a remarkable creature…it seemed as though she liked the smell of Ulquiorra…

"I would prefer it if you didn't inhale poor Ulquiorra's bed-sheets, my dear. He does like to keep his bed-sheets smelling nice and minty, as you can clearly smell right now."

His voice resonated across the room, startling Sakura and causing her to hide her flaming face in the bed-sheets. She retreated even further into the bed-sheets when she analyzed his words; a flash of irritation passed through him, and, as fleeting as it was, it spurred him into action.

"_Ahem,"_

That caught her attention. He smiled _(smirked)_ widely and spoke, "Hello my dear. Welcome to Las Noches, my kingdom. And I am its King... Aizen Sosuke. I believe you are Haruno Sakura, yes?"

She tensed and raked her eyes over his body, taking in his wide smirk and genial brown eyes. She stiffened when she met his eyes, and, if it was even possible, he smiled even further.

She had unearthed his true character; as nonchalant as she tried to appear he knew that she was truly unnerved. "You have met Ulquiorra?" He asked her, and she nodded in response.

"As he mentioned earlier, I am interested in your powers. Why? Well, simply because I have never heard of or met a hollow who is able to connect with their Zanpakutou spirit in early stages of hollowfication. Who am I to deny the scientist in me? I am intrigued, and once I find interest in something, I don't let go of it easily."

He let some of his darker side free, manifesting it in a somewhat sinister leer. He could see Sakura's instincts warring with her as she stiffened and growled softly. Her hands, which were previously bunched up in Ulquiorra's bed sheets loosened and curled into fists.

"No need to get hostile, _Sakura_."

_-line break-_

Sakura was on edge.

After nearly attacking him he just assumed his 'calm and controlled' aura and asked, _ordered_ her to come with him to see his other subordinates. And, he told her, if she wanted, she could also be turned into an Arrancar; she would have a human form! Yes! No more itchy mask!

Although his words after had made her uneasy.

"_You will be underneath me in rank, and even though you will be in a higher rank than others you will not disobey me. Power comes at a price, and this particular power requires you to abide by my wishes. A single toe out of line and you will punished. You will be given your own room and clothes."_

He had put extra _emphasis_ on punishment, and she had blushed when he had said that. What kind of punishment, she wondered, will he _punish_ me himself? She blushed even deeper at that.

'_Power comes at a price…'_ he had said. _'I know that better than anyone,"_ she thought bitterly, and almost crashed into the back of a female servant who had been escorting her to her room when the servant had stopped abruptly.

"This will be your room Sakura-sama." The female Arrancar intoned quietly. "Call me Sakura." Sakura said, feeling unused to the suffix. "Your clothes are provided within. Aizen-sama wishes for you to get clean. When you are finished, you will be escorted to the meeting room. The servant bowed then left Sakura to her thoughts.

_-line break-_

Her room was _big._

In the middle of the room was a large bed, enough to fit 10 people, and on it rest her clothes; the sash of it was a deep maroon-ish pink. She decided to worry about the clothes later; she was only going to concentrate on the room for now. The room was mostly empty and, surprise _surprise_, full of white. The only splotches of color were the bed-sheets, a deep cerulean blue that reminded her of Naruto's eyes.

To her right was the door to what she assumed was the bathroom, and once she entered through it she was surprised at the sheer vastness of it. There was a Jacuzzi tub, a wide shower with numerous showerhead nozzles, a pristine white sink with a mirror and a number of cupboards. Inside the cupboards were essential hygiene care products. It was all white.

There was a line of cerulean bath towels piled inside one cupboard and she started to strip herself out of the blood stained clothes that she had arrived in. Once naked, she wrapped the towel aroind her mid-section and proceeded to turn on the shower, cold water knob first.

She tested the water, and when it was warm enough she tossed the towel on a nearby towel rack (that mistake would soon haunt her) and proceeded to jump into the shower.

'_Aah… this is nice…'_

_-line break-_

Ulquiorra had been asked to go check on Sakura by Aizen-sama.

He didn't know why Aizen-sama seemed to be smirking a lot, or why Gin was shaking of laughter in the corner.

Was this normal?

Tosen simply rolled his eyes and told to do what Aizen-sama had said, then walked away muttering about immature idiots.

He was confused when he came to halt outside Sakura's room. Was that the sound out water in there? Carefully nudging the door open so she wouldn't hear him, he entered her room and headed towards the bathroom.

Aizen-sama had told him check on Sakura, right? So why did he feel a strange sense of foreboding?

Ulquiorra trusted his instincts.

So why was his Zanpakutou screaming at him to not go on?

* * *

_-line break-

* * *

_

**Oh noes! A cliff-hanger!**

**Sorry about the rush, I'll edit this chapter later. It remains unbeta'ed.**

**Mwa-ha-ha! Poor Ulquiorra!**

**-Shoujixyo-chan**


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